Telegraphic keyboard apparatus.



PATENTED JAN. 2; 1906.

P. B. DELANY.

TELEGRAPHIG KEYBOARD APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11.1904.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET l.

2M? messes:

No. 808,642. PATENTED JAN. 2, 1906.

P.B.DELANY. TBLEGRAPHIC KEYBOARD APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.'11,1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FEES]- UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFTGE.

TELEGRAPHIC KEYBOARD APPARATUS.

No. 808,642. Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

Application filed April 11, 1904. Serial No- 202,599.

, paratus, of which the following is a specifica-K tion. 1

This invention provides for transmission into a line or for local formation, as by perforating a tape of Morse or code signals, by the mechanical actuation of a suitable transmitter-lever 'or contact-arm when a key in the keyboard is depressed. A movable member set into motion on the depression of a key is caused to cooperate with a vibratory member in such way as to efiect transmission of the dots and dashes or component parts of the signal corresponding to the depressed key as the movable member moves from normal position, and as such member returns to normal position by the same path the organization is such that the vibratory member will not cause reverse transmission of the same signal. This is accomplished by so relating the speed of return and the inertia of the vibratory member that the latter will not be effectively operated to cause reverse transmission of the signal.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1, 2, 3, 4., and 5 are somewhat diagrammatic views showing various modifications of the invention. Fig. 6 is a plan, and Fig. 7 an elevation, showing in detail part of the apparatus of one of the forms in which the invention may be embodied. Fig. 8 is a plan showing an arrangement of toothed wheels for driving the traveling member, and Fig. 9 is a side view of one of the wheels.

The keyboard will of course be equipped with the required number of keys, one for each signal or character to be transmitted, organized to be operated to produce the results contemplated by this invention. The keysmay be locked when depressed and re leased automatically on completion of the signal or may be otherwise arranged. The severalfigures of the drawings show but a single key and indicate only such parts as are necessary to an understanding of this invention.

ciprocatable toothed bar cl, the teeth of which on depression of the key-lever pass into engagement with the teeth of a continuouslyrotating wheel or driver 6. The rear end of bar (1 is appropriately connected, as by a pin- .and-slot connectionf, with the end of a bar g, slidable in a guide or way in the post a, or otherwise suitably mounted to reciprocate. The bars d g are normally drawn rearwardly by a spring h, 'i being the limiting-stop. A face of bar g (the upper face, as shown in Fig. 1) is formed with long inclined teeth,j representing dashes of the Morse (or other) code and short inclined teeth lc, representing dots. Bearing on this face of the bar is the curved of upturned end of an arm m, attached to a pivoted vibratory lever n, the outer end of which plays between stops 0 p, the former being connected to a source 9 of electrical energy. The reaction of a spring r presses the arm m against the face of bar g and the end of lever 17. against stop 10. The arm m may be somewhat resilient. When the key is depressed, the arms (1 9 move forward, and the end of m drops successively into the notches in bar 9, that form the teeth k j, each time permitting the end of n to pass into contact with p, and so send from battery 9 an impulse of current into the line or circuit s. The particular bar g is for the transmission of two dots, two dashes, and two dots, being the period of the Morse code.

When the movement is completed, impact of the front end of bar at against the inclined face t on the under side of the key-lever apprises the operator that the signal is completed, and the key being released bar (1 passes out of engagement with the driver, when spring h draws it and toothed bar 9 back to normal position. The speed of the movement, the inertia of the lever-arm m n, and the relation of the curved end of m to the points of the teeth 7c are now such that the bar in passin under and in contact with 9 will not be vibrated to a suflicient extent to cause the. end of n to make contact with o, and hence the signal is not repeated reversely notwithstanding the bar 9 traverses in contact with min returning to normal position the same path it traversed when moved fromfnormal position.

Fig. 2 shows an organization having the same mode of operation. The construction is modified in that the teeth are formed on a rocking lever-arm n, and an arm m, bearing thereon, is carried by the reciprocating bar g.

Fig. 3 differs from Fig. 2 in that lever-arm E n is formed with flat-faced projections 7r that extend into openings in a fiat plate a, with the face of which the flat-faced projections may be flush. As bar g moves forward, m, which should have sufficient resiliency and downward pressure, successively depresses the projections is y" and carries the end of M, with which battery q is connected,

into contact with the stop to which the lineis connected. During the return movement the speed of passage of m across and 1n contact with plate a and inertia of n are such that the end of n will not pass to the stop with which the line is connected.

In Fig. 4 bar 9 is formed with rack-teeth clined facez on the latch. The lever is pivoted in a, and its front end is thrown upwardly byan'inclined face 2 on the rear end of g striking a similar face 3 on the rear end of the lever.

In Fig. 5 the key-lever b, pivoted in post a, carries at its rear end a rotatable wheel 4, part of the circumference of which is toothed, and which when the key-lever is depressed passes into gear with a continuously-driven toothed wheel 6. Mounted on the side of wheel 4 is a disk w, having peripheral depressions 5 5, (two being shown,) suitably adjacent and of sufficient length circumferentially to act to transmit dashes. The end m of a pivoted lever-arm n bears upon periphery of disk 10. The disk and wheel 4 are connected with the stud-shaft, on which they turn, by a coiled spring 6, and rotation of the wheel by reaction of the spring is limited by a stop 7. When the key-lever is depressed, the wheel 4 and disk w are rotated, and by vibration of lever-arm W, the end we of which bears upon the disk, two dash impulses of current representing letter m of the Morse code are sent from battery 9 into line 8, connected with the lever-arm. During such transmission the key-lever has been held down by the head of a spring-latch 00, which passed under a projection on the rearend of the lever when it was depressed. On completion of the signal a projection 8, suitably placed on periphery of wheel 4, strikes an inclined'face 2 on the latch and trips it, permitting the keylever to rise again to normal position. The operation is as before described. The speed of return to normal position and inertia of lever arm are such that reverse transmission does not occur.

when a structure similar to that of Fig. 3 is used, the arrangement shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be adopted. The several arms n having projections k j, are mounted upon a single rock-shaft 9, to which is fixed a single arm a that plays between stops, one of which is connected to either the line or battery. A key 10 on the shaft fits in a segmental keyway 11 in each arm M, the play being sufiicient to permit any arm 01 when depressed to rock shaft 9 without disturbing the other arms. The shaft is returned to normal position by reaction of spring 12, applied to arm n*, while each arm n has a return-spring 13 applied to it. One slotted plate a may be common to the projections y" k of all the arms 12?.

The toothed wheels 6 6 may be replaced by a single toothed cylinder of such length as to be common to all the toothedbars d or wheels 4, Fig. 5. It is preferred, however, to have separate wheels for each key-lever andits parts and to make them removable, so thatthey may be replaced if worn. Such an arrangement is shown in Figs. 8 and 9, where the wheels are marked 6 and are mounted on a common shaft 14 with spacingsleeves 15. Appropriate pressure is supplied to frictionally connect each wheel with the shaft in any suitable way. I have shown a radial threaded aperture in the wheel, in

which works a countersunk screw 16, that presses against the shaft a friction-plug 17, of fibrous or other suitable material. The amount of friction may be such asto permit the wheels to yield, respectively, when the first impact of their teeth with those of the bars doccurs, after which the friction is sufficient to cause the wheels to run the bars forward, as described.

I claim as my invention- 1. In an electric keyboard-transmitter, the combination of two parts one of which is movable relatively to the other from and to normal position in the same path, one of such parts having projecting surfaces correspondin with the component parts of a codesig naI and the other part having a portion bearing on said projections, and one of such parts being vibrated by contacting with said portion and said projecting surfaces as one of the parts is moved from normal position, to thereby form electrical contacts corresponding with said projecting surfaces, the speed of return of said movable part to normal position and the inertia of the vibratile part being so related that on such return the vibra tile part is not actuated to form said electrical contacts in reverse order.

2. In an electric keyboard transmitter, the combination of two parts, means whereby one of them is automatically moved from its normal position on the depression of the IIO corresponding finger-piece in the keyboard and is automatically returned by the same path to normal position when the fingerpiece is released, the other of said parts being a vibratory contact-maker part, one of said parts having surfaces upon it corresponding with the component parts of a code-signal and the other part having a portion in contact with said surfaces during the movement of one of the parts from and to normal position; the organization being such that in the movement of the movable part from normal position, the vibratile part is actuated to make electric contacts corresponding with said surfaces, and that on the return of the movable part to normal position, the speed of movement and inertia of the vibratile part are of such character that the latter will not be vibrated to form the electrical contacts in reverse order.

3. In a telegraphic keyboard-transmitter, the combination of two parts one of which is vibratile to form electrical contacts and the other of which has projecting surfaces correspondingwiththe component parts of a codesignal and one of such parts having a portion bearing on said surfaces, means for moving one of said parts relatively to the other at such speed that the projecting surfaces on one part produce corresponding vibrations of the other part, and means for returning such movable part to normal position at such rate of speed that the vibratile part is not actuated to produce in reverse order electrical contacts corresponding with said projecting surfaces.

4. In an electric keyboard-transmitter, the combination with a key, of a sliding bar having fashioned upon it designs corresponding with the component parts of a telegraphic signal, a rotating driver for engagement with said bar, a vibratile contact maker controlled by said character-designs, a contact against whichsaid contact-maker strikes, and means for returning the bar in contact with the contact-maker at such speed as not to vibrate the latter to form the signals in reverse order.

5. In an electric keyboard-transmitter the combination with a reciprocal signal-former, a contact-maker controlled by said former, a contact for said contact-maker, means for making telegraph characters by vibration of said contact-maker when said contactformer moves in one direction, and means for returning the former in contact with the contact-maker at such speed as not to vibrate the latter to' form the signals in reverse order.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

PATRICK B. DELANY.

Witnesses KATHARINE MAcMAI-IoN, EDWARD C. DAVIDSON. 

